Fiber optic communication systems include optical connectors that join segments of optical fibers. The principal function of an optical fiber connector is to hold a fiber end such that the core of the fiber is axially aligned with the optical path of the fiber component, etc. to which the connector is mated, e.g., so that light from the one fiber is optically coupled to another.
To mate fiber connectors, the end portion of each optical fiber must be mated with the end portion of a corresponding optical fiber. To minimize Fresnel loss, physical contact should be made between the fiber ends. Typically optical connectors include a “ferrule,” which is a well-known component for holding one or more fibers such that the fiber ends are presented for optical coupling, to promote such physical contact.
To effect such physical contact, a ferrule assembly must be prepared. A ferrule assembly preparation technique involves stripping the fiber's buffer using a stripping tool, advancing the exposed portion of the fiber through a ferrule until the distal end of the fiber extends well beyond an end face of the ferrule, securing the fiber within the ferrule, e.g., by heat curing a suitable epoxy, and mechanically cleaving the distal end of the fiber. The preparation technique further includes polishing the distal end of the fiber and the ferrule to create a desired end face geometry (e.g., a substantially planar surface substantially perpendicular to the axis of the fiber) and/or to provide the desired degree of protrusion of each fiber relative to the distal end of its ferrule and/or to provide the desired degree of co-planarity of an array of fiber ends in a multi-fiber connector. Such cleaving is often performed using a mechanical hand tool, and such polishing is often performed using manual abrasive polishing steps using abrasive paper fixed on a polishing pad, typically using a gang polishing machine. It is a time-consuming and skill-intensive process to cleave and polish the optical fiber, and polishing must be performed to exacting standards.
No matter the techniques and tools used, cleaving and polishing the fiber end(s)/ferrules often results in a connector that will be unable to form an acceptable optical interconnection, due to improper cleaving, improper polishing technique and/or under- or over-polishing that causes variation from the desired protrusion and/or co-planarity specifications. Because polishing is typically performed after securing the fiber in the ferrule assembly, the defective assembly must be discarded. This conventional termination process is characterized by a significant amount of defective assemblies and fiber/ferrule/connector waste, and thus a low yield of satisfactory assemblies.
Therefore, Applicants have identified a need for a method that avoids polishing of the ferrule and reduces waste while providing adequate control over fiber protrusion and/or fiber co-planarity. The present invention fulfills this need among others.